Irish mythology Irish mythology is the body of myths native to the island of Ireland. It was originally oral tradition, passed down orally in the Prehistoric Ireland, prehistoric era, being part of ancient Celtic religion. Many myths were later Early Irish ...

, Elcmar or Ecmar (modern spelling: Ealcmhar) is the husband of

Boann Boann or Boand (modern Irish spelling: Bónn) is the Irish goddess of the River Boyne (the river-name now always in the nominalised dative/prepositional case, Bóinn), a river in Ireland's historical fifth province, Meath (from Middle Irish ...

and belongs to the divine

Tuatha Dé Danann The Tuath(a) Dé Danann (, meaning "the folk of the goddess Danu"), also known by the earlier name Tuath Dé ("tribe of the gods"), are a supernatural race in Irish mythology. Many of them are thought to represent deities of pre-Christian Gae ...

. It has been suggested that he is Nuada under another name, and he is sometimes confused with Nechtan, Boann's usual husband. At first glance he appears to be associated with horses but there is also a school of thought that says his name means The Evil One. In the Dindsenchas, he is called "lord of horses" and is described as a judge. Elcmar is described as having a fork of white hazel, a gold brooch, and a cloak.

Chief steward

According to the

Yellow Book of Lecan The Yellow Book of Lecan (YBL; Irish: ''Leabhar Buidhe Leacáin''), or TCD MS 1318 (''olim'' H 2.16), is a late medieval Irish manuscript. It contains much of the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, besides other material. It is held in the Librar ...

, Elcmar served as chief steward for

Dagda The Dagda (Old Irish: ''In Dagda,'' ga, An Daghdha, ) is an important god in Irish mythology. One of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Dagda is portrayed as a father-figure, king, and druid.Koch, John T. ''Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia' ...

, one of the most important and powerful of the Danann. His wife was

, goddess of the River Boyne, who developed a great passion for the Dagda. To consummate this union, Dagda sent Elcmar to High King

Bres In Irish mythology, Bres (or Bress) was a king of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He is often referred to by the name Eochaid / Eochu Bres. He was an unpopular king, and favoured his Fomorian kin. Name ''Eochu Bres'' has been translated as "beautiful ho ...

on an errand around the time of Imbolc. Boann, like her Greek counterpart

Alcmene In Greek mythology, Alcmene () or Alcmena (; Ancient Greek: Ἀλκμήνη or Doric Greek: Ἀλκμάνα, Latin: Alcumena means "strong in wrath") was the wife of Amphitryon by whom she bore two children, Iphicles and Laonome. She is best ...

, got pregnant. To protect the sensibilities of his steward and the life of the child, the Dagda held the sun still for nine months so Boann's pregnancy lasted only one day; elsewhere, the Dagda kept hunger, thirst, and darkness from Elcmar during his journey, so that it only seemed to be a day for Elcmar. Boann named the baby Mac Og and gave him to the Dagda. The child was reared by his foster father,

Midir In the Mythological Cycle of early Irish literature, Midir (Old Irish) or Midhir (Modern Irish) was a son of the Dagda of the Tuatha Dé Danann. After the Tuatha Dé were defeated by the Milesians, he lived in the sidh of Brí Léith (believed ...

, safely away from any retribution that Elcmar might desire. Elcmar and Oengus mac Og eventually meet when the Dagda passes out the sithens and omits giving one to Oengus. To make up for his mistake, the Dagda tells Oengus how to trick Elcmar out of the Brugh na Boinne. On Samhain Oengus challenges him to a duel and defeats him but spares his life if Elcmar will give him the Brugh for day and night. For his life Elcmar accepts the offer. The absence of an adjective leads to Elcmar losing the Brugh to Oengus. To placate his steward the Dagda gives him another sithen. There is no love lost between Elcmar and Oengus, and Elcmar is present during the infamous hurling match that results in Midir losing his eye. Although Boann is not named specifically as the mother of Englec, the daughter of Elcmar, there are no tales of Boann ever leaving her husband. Englec develops an incestual passion for her half brother, although she has never seen him. Slipping away to a hurling match where she expects to see Oengus, she ends up being carried off by Midir. Englec winds up Midir's lover. Elcmar kills Midir afterwards. In turn, Oengus kills Elcmar for killing Midir. Another of Elcmar's daughters is named as Fea, who becomes the wife of Neit.''The Metrical Dindsenchas'' Poem 36
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References

External links

{{Irish mythology (mythological) Tuatha Dé Danann Characters in Irish mythology